Click below to download a sample of
Dan's latest offering:
Can't Buy Me Love
in

Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat (pdf)

 

Check out Dan's interview with writer/blogger Lorna Suzuki
where they talk about his current book, his new book,
writing rituals and what's next on the horizon.

CLICK HERE TO READ A SAMPLE OF
THE JUDAS APOCALYPSE
IN BOOKBUZZR FORMAT.

Thanks to everyone who came out for the launch of the book on Oct. 23rd at the Ottawa Public Library. By all accounts it was a success. Thanks to everyone at the library and at the Canadian Author's Association for all their hard work.

Click here to listen to an interview with author Dan McNeil on the Artist First Radio Network with Host Tony Kay

Check out some of Dan's interviews where he talks about his current book, his new project, writing rituals and what's next on the horizon." Here are the links:

http://makingbabygrand.com/2011/10/18/meet-author-dan-mcneil/
http://blog.shelfluv.com/2011/06/interview-dan-mcneil/
http://alltheblogsapage.blogspot.com/2010/09/influences-in-touch-with-author-dan.html

Historical Novels Review Online:

http://historicalnovelsociety.org/hnr-online-nov-2009.htm

If you enjoyed "The Da Vinci Code," you are going to LOVE Dan McNeil's "The Judas Apocalypse."

Selena Robins, "Sabrina's Destiny." www.selenarobins.com

Two thousand years ago, a Jewish man called by his followers “the King of the Jews” was sentenced to death by a Roman governor. The day following the passing of the sentence, that man was nailed to a cross and died within a few hours.

Three days later, he rose from the dead, truly the long-awaited Messiah.

The basic elements of this account have been accepted by the faithful for centuries, and today, for over two billion people the world over, it is the greatest story ever told.

But what if the greatest story ever told didn’t quite happen that way?

“…if there be no resurrection, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” – I Corinthians 15:14

When I first struck upon the premise for The Judas Apocalypse almost fifteen years ago, I had no idea where my writing would ultimately lead. The original concept came to me when I learned of a discovery by two researchers who were interested in the famous Shroud of Turin. They had tried to determine how the image of what some presume to be the body of Jesus Christ became fixed on the linen fabric. By attempting to follow ancient Jewish burial rituals, they found that by applying a mixture of myrrh, aloe and spices in different quantities to deceased bodies, they were unable to duplicate the image, but when they tried it on themselves, they found, to their surprise, that the experiment worked. From this startling discovery they concluded that two key ingredients had been missing during their earlier attempts – body heat and sweat.

The implications were intriguing. If the image were that of Jesus, in all probability he was not dead when he was buried. And if Jesus was in fact alive, then the resurrection did not happen.

Could he have faked his own death? By doing so, he would have cemented his Messianic title by “rising from the dead,” thus inspiring what would become a great new enduring religion.

As unthinkable and heretical as these speculations might be for Christian theologians and devout followers, further research suggested even more controversial hypotheses. My research entered unexpected territory that saw James the brother of Jesus, Saul of Tarsus, and, perhaps the most reviled individual in history, Judas Iscariot, brought into a whole new light.

“For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me.”
                      Jesus speaking to Judas in the Gospel of Judas

The recently resurfaced Gospel of Judas caused a stir and made headlines when translated and re-translated by various textual scholars. Some of these experts have posited that Judas’s role in Christ’s betrayal may have been misunderstood for two thousand years.

Or perhaps there is another explanation.

The Judas Apocalypse is the story of Gerhard Denninger, a German archaeologist swept up in the decadent underworld of pre-World War II Berlin, who takes up a quest to find the long lost treasure of a centuries-old Christian sect. What he finds, however, is something that will shake the very foundations of the world’s largest and most influential religion.

Be warned, this revolutionary novel may put you on a path of speculation that could test the very foundation of your faith.

“The Judas Apocalypse” is available through:

Amazon.com •www.amazon.com
Amazon.ca •www.amazon.ca
Barnes and Noble • www.barnesandnoble.com
Chapters | Indigo • www.chapters.indigo.ca

Update:

I have just finished my new novel called “Can't Buy Me love.”

May 1939 - A motley group of would-be bank robbers led by the incredibly unsuccessful Marion “Sonny” Carter attempt to knock off the Hudson National Bank and Trust Company in New York City. Thanks to their inside man (and as it turns out, police informant), the plan is foiled and Sonny and his gang are sent up the river for twenty five years.

February 1964 - Civil rights, the space race and the murder of the President weigh heavy on the minds of Americans. However Sonny's mind is focused on just one thing after being released from his prison stretch—knocking off one of New York City’s prestigious banking institutions, specifically the Hudson National Bank and Trust Company. It won’t be easy though. Banks are a whole lot tougher than they were in ’39 and the members of his old gang are ready for the retirement home.  Adding insult to injury is the fact that the weasel responsible for Sonny’s lengthy incarceration is now the president of the very bank he wants to hit. This time however, Sonny has a plan that just might prove to be fool proof, thanks to two unlikely sources—a sexy bank employee with secrets and a shady past, and a band from Liverpool about to make their historic American debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. With a little luck and a little help from his friends, can Sonny and his aging crew can come out ahead for the first time in their lives?

Dan McNeil was born in Toronto in October of 1962. Growing up in a home surrounded by books and music at an early age virtually ensured that he would grow up with an innate fondness for both. Always on a quest for knowledge, he was awarded a medal for reading every book in his Grade 1 class collection and as a result was labeled with the moniker “Walking Encyclopedia” for his efforts. Unaware that this was probably a dig, he wore the appellation proudly. By the time he hit his teens, his thirst for knowledge (the more trivial, the better, it seemed) set him on a path that led him to a television quiz show called, appropriately enough, “Trivia” when he was 16, where he won 3 games and $800 (it was a Canadian quiz show, after all). After a less-than-stellar performance in high school (except for English, Creative Writing and History classes), he applied and acquitted himself rather well as a Broadcasting student at Algonquin College in Ottawa.

Upon graduation, he immediately found a part time job at a local television station where eventually the part time job gave way to a career in the business 22 years later. His love of music pushed him into playing with a number of local bands in the capital and scoring some minor successes as a songwriter (winning a number of songwriting contests, including the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Association International competition in 2002) and composer (writing music for many of the local productions at CHRO TV). His passion for things both literary and historical, coupled with a strong story telling basis from working in television news, ultimately nudged him into pursuing the idea of penning a novel. After a full year of research and another year of putting pen to paper (or in this case, fingers to keyboard), Dan finished his first novel, The Judas Apocalypse, which has been released through I Publish Press in May 2008.

Read@DanMcNeil.ca

Here’s what readers are saying about “The Judas Apocalypse”:

Canadian author's debut novel is - Fascinating, Compelling, Interesting, PAGE TURNER, Aug 17 2008
By Selena Robins "Selena Robins" (Canada)

Dan McNeil's vivid description, compelling and lyrical prose will submerge you into a fascinating read with this page turning, fictional, and historical suspense. Emotional, charging and an excellent novel, which I highly recommend

Terrific Reading
08/14/2008
I was blown away by this book; it twists and turns, leading you on an amazing journey. Really enjoyed the historical and biblical references, but it's mixed with non-stop action! This guy's obviously done some homework!

Riveting Story
07/30/2008
Excellent book – very interesting and adventurous storyline. One of the best books I've read in a long time. Highly recommend it.

Great reading for the holidays
08/01/2008
The book has an interesting balance between fact and fiction. It gets you thinking about the facts we are not aware of.

A Must Read!
07/31/2008
This masterpiece should be mandatory reading. A truly compelling blend of history and page-turning suspense. Highly recommended!

A new 'Dan' on the block
09/28/2009
I picked up this book as probably one of the millions for whom the genre's pack leader, Dan Brown, leaves an aching void. I'm delighted to say this story is so much more believable than the Hollywood twaddle we are fed by the other Dan. Dan McNeil is a darn good story teller, and weaves this gripping tale from the Crucifixion itself to the Cathar tragedy of the Middle Ages then with exciting twists and turns through both World Wars. For me the hero, a middle aged German named Denninger who detests the Nazis, is a wholly believable character who you just hope will be able to step up to the mark despite his obvious frailties. He does so with flying colors, despite the best efforts of some moronic US GIs to screw the whole thing up. I like the way McNeil takes a swipe at the French, the Germans, the Vatican, the whole Christian church and, of course, the Americans, bless 'em. But don't get me wrong, you'll still love this even if you are a bible-belt tub-thumping preacher, a Lutheran, a Huguenot or a plain old RC. It'll make you think. The truth is out there -- Rock On Dan McNeil.
By A.J. Forrest - Spain